Integrated tracking, sensing, and security system for intermodal shipping containers

ABSTRACT

A security system for freight containers comprises: a locking device to reliably attach to the container and prevent unauthorized opening of the container doors; a sensing device to sense conditions affecting the container; and, a communication system configured to transmit the output of the sensing device to a system administrator located remotely from the container. The locking and sensing devices may be capable of two-way communication with the system administrator, whereby the administrator may interrogate the locking/sensing device at selected times. The locking device may contain a GPS receiver whereby its geographic location at various times may be monitored either continuously, periodically, or after a trip is completed. The system may include a visual display on the exterior of the container capable of displaying selected messages. The messages may be preprogrammed or may be changed as the container moves from one geographic location to another.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/004,265 by the present inventors, filed on Nov. 26, 2007, theentire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This application contains material disclosed in part in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______ filed by the present inventors on even dateherewith, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention pertains to apparatus and methods related to the movementof international cargo in containerized structures. More particularly,the invention relates to tracking and security of ISO compliantintermodal shipping containers.

2. Description of Related Art

There are an estimated 15 million intermodal shipping containers movingthroughout the world on a daily basis. Nine million of these containersarrive at U.S. ports annually, raising significant security issues. If aweapon of mass destruction were delivered to a port in the U.S., thecost to the domestic economy could reach $1 trillion.

Security applications, such as cargo tracking are growing in importance.The worldwide ocean-going freight transportation infrastructure is thecornerstone of the global economic well-being and has been in crisissince Sep. 11, 2001. Domestic shipping via the Marine TransportationSystem (MTS) totals over $850 B in cargo annually and contributes $2 Tto the U.S. gross domestic product. The current volume of domesticmaritime shipping is expected to double over the next 20 years.International maritime shipping is expected to triple over the same timeperiod. Many port facilities are under economic stress from severalfronts, including antiquated technology, environmental restrictions,just-in-time manufacturing practices, overlapping federal/state/localjurisdictions, and the lack of basic technological infrastructure toorchestrate a global network for intermodal asset security monitoringand tracking. Land competition and environmental regulations willfurther restrict the geographic expansion of current port facilities.Further, the information systems for managing the supply chain stilllargely depend on manual data entry processes.

In addition to concerns about MTS economic inefficiencies, a renewedemphasis on homeland security in the U.S. is evident. Terrorist threatshave brought about a new reality in the MTS. Attacks will likely focuson economic means to effect change in the modern world. One need onlylook to the open movement of containerized cargo to find simple,effective, and efficient means of large-scale economic damage. Thedestruction of a few key ports could bring our economy to a completehalt and cripple the nation in a matter of weeks. The result is aconflict between efficiency and security in the port system thatsupports the MTS.

A well-documented need exists for technology solutions to increaseefficiency and security in the MTS. In 2004, 9 million containersentered the U.S. via the MTS. U.S. Customs inspects less than 5 percentof these containers manually, relying on intelligence to “profile”containers. The Coast Guard and U.S. Customs do not have the resourcesto inspect each container entering the U.S. Therefore, investment inappropriate tracking and monitoring technology will be needed toincrease security and economic efficiency. Neither efficiency norsecurity can be sacrificed. Therefore, tracking and monitoringtechnologies must be developed to provide greater efficiency and at thesame time secure the global supply chain.

The ability to monitor conditions and location in real-time has a numberof insurance ramifications. The insurers of ships and cargo arecritically interested in loss and theft of cargo via security breachesand fraud. For the 12 months prior to November 30, 2004, $700 billion incargo was shipped via the MTS. Some private industry estimates of lossesoverboard, damage, or outright theft are as high as seven to ten percentof all containers annually, as high as $40 billion per year losses inthe supply chain. Insurance companies finance a great deal of thisexpense, and in turn, pass along these losses as premiums and retainedlosses to cargo owners, carriers, and ultimately the consumer. Carriers,cargo owners and the manufacturers absorb the remaining losses that areagain ultimately passed along to end consumers. Entities in thedistribution chain would be expected to receive a lower insurancepremium for shipping through a more secure service provider.

Current products on the commercial market for logistics applications andcontainer security offer little security. Electronic seals, which arewireless enabled versions of mechanical seals that have been used fordecades, do not provide the means to secure the container.

Various types of seals have been described including: Swift U.S. Pat.No. 5,116,091; Tuttle U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,406,263 and 5,831,531; Wilk U.S.Pat. No. 5,528,228; White U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,175; Gagnon U.S. Pat. No.5,939,982; Kadner U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,563; Wilhelm U.S. Pat. No.6,464,269; Fuehrer U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,842; Palzkill U.S. Pat. No.6,846,024; Pirnie U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,843; and Moreno U.S. Pat. Nos.7,044,512 and 7,178,841. Generally seals focus on detecting tamperingrather than providing true locking mechanisms. At best the seal servesas a deterrent and at worst it potentially conveys a false sense ofsecurity. Several studies have examined seals and found they offerlittle or no security in their current forms, only serving a deterrentfunction.

Various types of locks have been described, including: VanderWyde U. S.Pat. No. 4,422,313; Yulkowski U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,352; Strodtman U.S.Pat. No. 6,581,419; and Brown U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,425. These solutionstend to focus on permanent retrofit/installation of hardware to ISOstandard containers but raise expensive and substantial installation andmaintenance issues. Containers are leased; shippers have little or noability to implement these solutions. Container owners/lessors havelittle or no incentive to implement them because it represents a netcost to operations.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,584, Access Bar for a Shipping Container, Taylordescribes a system that secures both doors at the same time and uses thecorner posts as a “gravity” locking mechanism.

A locking and tracking system as taught by Galley in U.S. Pat. No.6,975,224, Reusable Self Container Electronic Device ProvidingIn-Transit Cargo Visibility, attaches to the door latch and wouldrequire two devices (one for each door) to work.

Various types of tracking systems have been described, including thefollowing: Camhi, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,283, System for the Securityand Auditing of Persons and Property, discloses a vehicle and personneltracking system and geofence applications but does not mention shippingcontainers or the locking of such. Radican, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,291,Container Inventory Monitoring Methods and Systems, discloses aninventory system for shipping containers but does not mention securityor the locking of such containers. Carson, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,577,921,Container Tracking System, discloses localized tracking within storageand transfer yards without mention of security or the locking of suchcontainers. Ghaffari, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,068, Real Time Total AssetVisibility System, discloses a tracking system for cargo but does notmention shipping containers, or security or locking of such containers.Lareau, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,972,682, Monitoring and Tracking of Assets byUtilizing Wireless Communications, discloses wireless tracking andtriangulation of container location but does not mention security orlocking of shipping containers. Shafer, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,722,Method and System for Communicating with Identification Tags disclosesIP addressing of RFID tags without mention of securing or locking ofsuch containers. Twitchell, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,221,668, Communicationswithin Population of Wireless Transceivers Based on Common Designation,discloses the ad hoc network formation within shipping containers toprovide location and condition without mention of container security orlocking. Neher, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,242,322, Security Tracker, disclosesa covert tracking system for monitoring location and condition for laterdownload, without mention of security or locking of the container.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Objects of the present invention include the following: providing asecure locking device for cargo containers that simultaneously monitorsat least one condition affecting the container; providing a combinedcontainer lock and container monitor capable of transmitting monitoreddata to a central administrator; providing a locking device for cargocontainers that simultaneously monitors a condition of the container andthe container's location within a GPS system; providing a locking,monitoring, and display device for cargo containers that is capable ofdisplaying selected messages on an outside surface of the container;providing a locking device for cargo containers that can displaymessages received from a remote system administrator; and, providing alocking device for cargo containers that can display selected messageswhen the container is in selected geographic locations. These and otherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromconsideration of the following specification, read in conjunction withthe drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a security system for freightcontainers comprises: a locking device configured to reliably attach tothe container and prevent unauthorized opening of the container doors; asensing device configured to sense at least one condition affecting thecontainer; and, a communication system configured to transmit the outputof the sensing device to a system monitor located remotely from thecontainer.

According to another aspect of the invention, a security system forfreight containers comprises: a locking device configured to reliablyattach to the container and prevent unauthorized opening of thecontainer doors; a sensing device including a two-way communicationsystem, the sensing device configured to sense at least one conditionaffecting the container, the sensing device further containing a GPSreceiver; and, a system monitor located remotely from the container, thesystem monitor configured to receive data from the sensing device atselected times and to communicate with the sensing device at selectedtimes.

According to another aspect of the invention, a security system forfreight containers comprises: a locking device configured to reliablyattach to the container and prevent unauthorized opening of thecontainer doors; a sensing device configured to sense at least onecondition affecting the container; a communication system configured totransmit the output of the sensing device to a system monitor locatedremotely from the container; a visual display device on the outside ofthe container, capable of displaying selected information; and, a systemmonitor configured to receive selected data from the sensing device andto transmit selected messages to the visual display device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification areincluded to depict certain aspects of the invention. A clearerconception of the invention, and of the components and operation ofsystems provided with the invention, will become more readily apparentby referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting embodimentsillustrated in the drawing figures, wherein like numerals (if they occurin more than one view) designate the same elements. The features in thedrawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the invention,in which a locking assembly or Access Bar is deployed on a shippingcontainer to secure the doors.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the invention,separated from the shipping container.

FIG. 3A illustrates a block diagram of the functional components in anAccess Bar according to one aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 3B illustrates a block diagram of the functional components in anAccess Bar according to another aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates several aspects of local and global communicationsaccording to one aspect of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for securing cargo in accordance with oneaspect of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method for securing cargo in accordance withanother aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention combines an access bar for a shipping container with avariety of wireless communications technologies (including, but notlimited to: Radio Frequency Identification, cellular communications, andsatellite communications) and a sensor interface to allow the detectionof selected events or environmental factors (including but not limitedto: tilting, vibration, and tamper switches, air pressure, temperatureand humidity sensors, and detectors for hazardous conditions such as thepresence of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosiveagents). It further incorporates a geographically-based lock thatprevents unauthorized opening of the container until the container hasreached a selected destination, as described more fully in Applicants'co-pending application.

In the examples that follow, it will become apparent that a trackable,removable, and secure device to secure both doors simultaneouslyprovides a unique solution to many of the known concerns of theintermodal shipping industry. Some of the noteworthy benefitsinclude: 1. Only one device is required to secure both the doors. 2.Tracking the lock is a convenient proxy for tracking the container. 3.The inventive device is reusuable by shipper or carrier and because itis a small, high-value component (compared to the empty container) it ismore convenient to store when not in use than a similar componentintegrated permanently onto a container. 4. It does not interrupt thenormal flow of cargo or impede legitimate access to the cargo. 5. Itallows access to be granted according to a selected hierarchy ofcommunications and information.

EXAMPLE

Applicants' co-pending application describes a removable Access Barconfigured to securely lock a shipping container, as shown generally inFIGS. 1 and 2. Applicants contemplate that in many applications, theAccess Bar will be configured with a form factor that is compatible withcertain characteristic dimensions of standard shipping containers, asshown in the figures. It can be seen that in the embodiment shown in thedrawings, the Access Bar may take advantage of depressions in the doorsso that much of the electronics may be afforded somewhat more protectionwhile at the same time the Access Bar lies flat against the containerand thus minimizes protrusions or other deviations from normal containerdimensions that might interfere with automated container handling.Although not shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that theinventive concept may equally well be adapted to containers of othergeometries with only routine engineering modifications. For example, theAccess bar may be configured with a ring-like locking mechanism to graspthe rim of a standard drum or barrel, thereby preventing the barrel frombeing opened during transit.

EXAMPLE

As shown generally in FIG. 3A, the Access Bar 10 contains, among otherthings, a GPS circuit 18 that operates to prevent the Access Bar frombeing unlocked before the container has reached a selected destination.The Access Bar 10 optionally includes the provision of at least thefollowing: one or more selected sensor packages 19; one or more wirelesscommunication systems 16 that may include Radio FrequencyIdentification, data radios, cellular, and satellite communications. Asuitable antenna 21 is preferably disposed integrally with the device tominimize protrusions and protect the system from mechanical damage.Additional RFID components may be located on the side of the device.

EXAMPLE

Although some elements of the device (notably RFID tags) may besubstantially passive devices, it is contemplated that in manyapplications it will be preferable to have an on-board power supply 15.This may be accomplished with batteries, fuel cells, and the like, andprovision may also be made for recharging or maintaining charge via acradle or an umbilical configured to accept power from a shipboardgenerator during ocean transit, for example.

EXAMPLE

The sensor package 19 may include a number of devices performing varioussecurity and tracking functions. The device may allow for wirelesscommunication with a variety of sensor (chemical, biological,radiological, nuclear, explosive, temperature, humidity, vibration,accelerometry, etc.) and information sources (camera, keypad, PDA, cellphone, satellite phone, hand-held interrogator, RFID reader, etc.).Sensor package 19 may contain a load cell, strain gage, or other meansof monitoring tension on locking bar 12 so that an alarm condition willbe triggered if bar 12 is cut or even if the bars on the container doorare cut. The device will communicate wirelessly with a sensor node,which detects a variety of constituents and conditions, eitherpermanently or temporarily installed in an intermodal container, overthe road trailer, or enclosed conveyance.

It will be appreciated that wireless communication may include suchfamiliar protocols as serial radio, cellular radio, satellite radio,etc. The wireless device(s) will preferably be utilized in order of costof communications beginning with the serial radio, which, with theReader within range, represents the least cost. Failing to identify avalid serial radio link, the cellular radio may be activated. Failing toidentify a valid cellular link, satellite communication to one ofmultiple low earth orbit satellite systems may be activated. Thisprocess optimizes the cost of data communications on a global basis.

EXAMPLE

As noted above, the inventive Access Bar may contain various sensingelements such as chemical, biological, or radiation sensors, or it maybe in wireless communication with sensors deployed elsewhere in or onthe container. Such sensors may be used to alert the shipper thatunauthorized materials have been packed in the container. It will beappreciated, however, that a modern container ship might carry as manyas 6000 containers. Thus, the Access Bar may detect a source ofradiation in an adjacent container and serve as a warning that hazardousmaterial is present somewhere else on the ship. If a source ofradioactivity were somewhere on board, it is possible that data fromperhaps a dozen widely distributed sensors could be triangulated and theresulting data used to alert authorities before the ship arrived atport, and even give an indication of the approximate location of thesuspicious container before the ship is unloaded or even close topopulated areas.

The foregoing example illustrates an important aspect of the invention,viz., that the system administrator, by having access to reports from aplurality of Access Bars, inherently derives a higher level ofsituational awareness, and that the resulting information can thereforehave significant added value to various clients.

It will further be appreciated that the general level of backgroundradiation varies from place to place around the earth. Because theinvention includes GPS location data, corrections can be made forfluctuations in background that are due to known local geophysicaleffects. Further, by having a plurality of Access Bars in a givengeographical area, the background radiation can be identified throughmathematical averaging and either reported to the system administratoror used to analyze local radiological patterns to determine threats.

EXAMPLE

The Access Bar may be provided with one or more components 22 for localdata input/output. A ruggedized keypad may be used to enter certainfunctions and commands, such as arm/disarm, lock/unlock, etc.Alternatively, for entering more detailed information, such as ashipping manifest, a USB port or other standard data bus such as aBluetooth wireless link may be provided.

EXAMPLE

In one embodiment, the device uses two electronically controlledmechanical devices: one mechanism 13 holds the device to one of thecontainer doors (install/uninstall), and the other mechanism 12 locksthe container doors closed (lock/unlock) by means of a mechanical latch14 that may be secured in the locked position by an internally mountedelectromechanical latch. Each device 12, 13 can be engaged or disengagedseparately based on rectangular geofences. The install/uninstallgeofences are defined and evaluated locally by the invention, and thelock/unlock geofences are defined and evaluated remotely by the serverbased tracking system. The install/uninstall mechanism 13 can also beengaged or disengaged for unscheduled inspections by a single use codeeither sent from the tracking and system or entered through a ruggedizedkeypad or other I/O device 22 on the exterior of Access Bar 10.

EXAMPLE

In general, Applicants contemplate that the locking bar 12 has a seriesof teeth that engage a ratcheting mechanism, and in the unlockedcondition bar 12 may be free to slide completely out of the device.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this configuration lendsitself to being implemented as a somewhat smaller device that canoperate like a padlock and thereby secure any closure that is designedto have a bolt-type lock.

EXAMPLE

In its simplest form, the geolock comprises the following components, asshown schematically in FIG. 3A: an electromechanical lock actuator orlatching mechanism 14′, a GPS receiver 18 including a suitable antenna21, a CPU or other logic device configured to allow the operation oflock actuator 14′ when certain GPS location requirements are satisfied,and a power supply 15 capable of providing sufficient power to operateall components for a suitable period of time.

EXAMPLE

As noted above, a key element of the inventive Access Bar is a “geolock”that is designed to allow the lock to be opened only if some geographiccondition is met (typically indicating that the container has reached aselected destination). Applicants contemplate that under normaloperating conditions, the geolock will be governed primarily by GPSdata. Applicants recognize, however, that means are available to spoof aGPS receiver if an adversary has sufficient resources and is able toposition sophisticated RF equipment close enough to the GPS unit. Theinventive Access Bar may therefore be optionally equipped with redundantmeans of cross-checking the GPS data. Some preferred means include thefollowing:

1. Small accelerometers may be used along with a clock to compute theapproximate location by dead reckoning; if the GPS location differs fromthe dead reckoning location by some selected margin of error, the lockwill not open without additional authorization. Accelerometers may beincorporated in sensor package 19.

2. A clock circuit may be used to prevent unlocking at any time prior tothe approximate scheduled time of arrival, in a manner analogous to alock on a bank vault that prevents it from being unlocked at night evenif one has the combination.

3. The system administrator (or the internal memory in the Access Baritself) may receive periodic updates on the container's location. If theindicated location is greatly different from the previously updatedlocation, in such a way as to suggest a physically impossible movement,an alarm condition may be indicated and the lock will not be opened.

4. An access code may be required in addition to satisfying the GPSlocation required by the geolock.

5. It is contemplated that several (or many) containers on a given ship(or train) may be equipped with the inventive Access Bar. The systemadministrator may therefore be alerted if the indicated GPS location ofone container abruptly differs from that of other containers that aresupposed to be traveling together.

Some examples of commercial available wireless communications modulesinclude the following: 1. Serial Mesh Radio (e.g., ZMN2405HPmanufactured by RF Monolithics, Inc. 4441 Sigma Road, Dallas, Tex.75244), 2. Quadband GSM Cellular (e.g., GM862-GPS manufactured by TelitWireless Solutions, Inc. 3131 RDU Center Drive, Suite 135, Morrisville,N.C. 27560), 3. LEO Satellite (e.g., DS100 manufactured by StellarSatellite Communications Ltd., 46050 Manekin Plaza, Suite 100, DullesVa. 20166). All of the foregoing are suitable in for inclusion in theinventive device in terms of form factor, data conditioning, and powerconditioning characteristics.

Some examples of commercial available sensor packages include thefollowing: 1. Angular rate sensors and gyroscopes, (e.g., ADXRSmanufactured by Analog Devices, 3 Technology Way, Norwood, Mass. 02062),2. Pressure sensors (e.g., Flexiforce manufactured by Tekscan, Inc., 307West First Street, South Boston, Mass. 02127-1309), 3. Magnetometers(e.g., MicroMag manufactured by PNI Sensor Corporation, 133 AviationBlvd., Suite 101, Santa Rosa, Calif. 95403), 4. Accelerometry (e.g.,ADXL manufactured by Analog Devices, 3 Technology Way, Norwood, Mass.02062). Other sensors such as temperature and humidity sensors, tamperswitches, etc. are well known in the art. All of the foregoing arelikewise suitable in for inclusion in the inventive device in terms ofform factor, data conditioning, antenna configuration, and powerconditioning characteristics. Systems known in the art to detect andmeasure chemical, biological radiological, nuclear, and explosive agentsare also suitable for inclusion in the inventive access bar.

There are many suitable commercially available central processing unitsand microcontrollers; for example, Applicants have found the followingdevice to be suitable for carrying out the invention: ARM9, manufacturedby ARM Ltd., 110 Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, UK. This and many similardevices are all suitable for inclusion in the inventive device in termsof form factor, data conditioning, and power conditioningcharacteristics.

EXAMPLE

The inventive Access Bar may further be adapted to a less-than-loadtracking application via the wireless serial mesh radio. Individualcargo constituents in the container (individual packages, individualpallets, or the like) may be affixed with a compatible serial radio,which may be a meshing radio, in order to report to the Access Bar. Theinventive Access Bar can aggregate these devices to provide the abilityto perform real-time inventory on a suitably equipped container at anypoint in its journey.

EXAMPLE

Another aspect of the Access Bar is to serve as a remote aggregationpoint for terminals, yards, depots, warehouses, and the like. Theaggregation point includes a combination of a serial mesh radio and asatellite uplink or direct access to the internet in order to transmitinformation on the status, condition, and location of the Access Bar.The remote uplink can aggregate these devices to provide the ability toperform real-time inventory of the containers in any geographiclocation.

EXAMPLE

Another important aspect of the inventive method is a network operationcenter 44 including a system administration with automated and/or manualsystems for aggregating Access Bar information, distributing clientinformation, and performing advanced value-added logistics and risk orthreat analysis. As noted above, those skilled in the art willappreciate that this system provides a higher level of situationalawareness and a common operational picture from the container, to thecommunity, to the region, to the world. This situational awareness notonly improves the overall logistics operation, but also can provide keyelements of an early warning security system for a variety of chemical,biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats.

EXAMPLE

The locking bar 12 may be manufactured by various conventional methods,provided that the resulting structure has adequate strength both towithstand normal stresses in service and to provide adequate resistanceto tampering or intrusion attempts. The bar is preferably metal, such asstamped, bent, and machined/punched steel, extruded aluminum, titanium,or other suitable structural alloy. It may further be provided withselected coatings such as chrome plating, polymer dips, paints, diamondfilms, etc. for corrosion resistance and may be heat treated to hardenit against cutting or sawing. Decorative paints, decals, etc. may beprovided to the protective housing 11 identify the owner of the deviceor for branding, advertising, or other desired purposes. Housing 11 maybe constructed of any suitable material having adequate strength; inmany cases it will be cast, stamped, deep drawn, machined, or formedmetal, metal alloy, or metal-matrix composite. Alternatively, it may bea polymer- or ceramic-matrix composite. Depending on the dielectricproperties of housing 11 RF-transparent windows or antenna feedthroughsas are well known in the art may be provided in order to allow one- ortwo-way communication signals to enter or exit housing 11.

In addition to the particular exemplary, and therefore non-limiting,configurations shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that theinvention may also be advantageously implemented with gravity-typelocking systems such as that generally disclosed by Asher in U.S. Pat.No. 6,364,584.

In addition to the passive display of logos or other advertising asdescribed above, the inventive device may further be provided withvisual display means, whereby messages may be displayed to passersby ortrailing vehicles. It will be appreciated that the device has severalcharacteristics that make it especially useful for dynamic advertising,viz., it has the capability of communicating with a systemadministrator, and its geographic position is known. Thus, the systemadministrator may interact with the device to cause it to displayparticular messages or advertisements in particular locations, wherebythe value of such advertising may be maximized. Alternatively, thevisual display means may be used to alert workers at the point ofarrival that the container has experienced some off-normal condition aswell as to provide visual confirmation that the system is workingnormally.

EXAMPLE

One aspect of the inventive method is shown generally at 50 in FIG. 6,wherein the individual operations are:

-   51 Load container-   52 Install Access Bar 10 on first door-   53 Install locking bar 12 on second door and tension locking bar    using latch mechanism 14-   54 Monitor status and location en route, preferably via GPS 18-   55 Communicate with system administrator/server    -   55A Report to server at selected intervals    -   55B Report to server on alarms, warnings, or deviations    -   55C Receive acknowledgments/updates/ authorizations from server-   56 Arrive at waypoint-   57 Unlock based on time, location, and/or access code-   58 Last waypoint?-   59 Uninstall based on time, location, and/or access code.

EXAMPLE

Another aspect of the inventive method is shown generally at 60 in FIG.6, wherein the individual operations are:

-   61 Itinerary programmed; alarm on disparity with geography/schedule-   62 At startpoint?-   63 Maintain unlatched/unlocked status-   64 Properly installed?-   65 Report status to server-   66 Properly locked?-   67 Report status to server-   68 Report status to server-   69 Run “itinerary”-   70 Report to server on alarms, warnings, or deviations-   71 Receive acknowledgments/updates from server-   72 Wait for keypad input-   73 Valid code?-   74 Report event to server-   75 Valid location for code?-   76 Report event to server-   77 Valid time for location and code?-   78 Report event to server-   79 Unlock-   80 End of itinerary?-   81 Wait for keypad input-   82 Valid code?-   83 Report event to server-   84 Unlatch (uninstall) and sleep

The foregoing example illustrates some ways in which the inventionprovides redundant validation to GPS data to prevent unauthorizedopening if the GPS is tampered with or spoofed electronically.

EXAMPLE

The general method of using the invention according to one aspect of theinvention may be described as follows: The Access Bar with its on-boardelectronics package is attached to the container at some point in thesupply chain, which is preferably the point of its packing. The on-boardpackage notes the installation, reports Global Positioning Systems (GPS)location, time stamp, and condition of any sensors. The system remainsin place (relative to the container) for the length of the intermodaljourney. If, during the trip, a variety of sensor conditions occurs, themechanism may either report through the wireless medium of choice analert condition, or it may simply record the condition in on-boardmemory for later downloading at the time of arrival. Reportable sensorconditions may include low battery, tampering, removal, temperature outof range, humidity out of range, or the presence of chemical,biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives of interest. The devicemay further report to the system administrator on request or upon apredetermined time interval through the wireless medium of choice.Reports may include such parameters as GPS coordinates, batterycondition, switch positions, and readings from sensors configured torespond to temperature, humidity, or chemical, biological, radiological,nuclear, and explosive agents, etc. The device may be programmed toreport certain conditions immediately to the system administrator, suchas large deviations in GPS coordinates or the presence of radioactivity,whereas other, less critical sensor conditions such as tip/tilt orimpact/acceleration readings may be reported at the time of arrival sothat the cargo can be immediately inspected for damage.

The inventive system may exploit so-called ad-hoc wireless networking(serial mesh radio). Some characteristics of Ad Hoc Serial Network Radioinclude: 1. Secure hand-shaking using a variety of information security,encryption, and validation protocols; 2. Scalable to Hybridized SpreadSpectrum (HSS) radio format; 3. Automatically finds other relateddevices within range; 4. Automatically forms communities if two or morerelated devices are present; 5. “Elects” a spokesman to collect and sendTracking and Security Information (TSI) for whole community based on theminimum period settings of each individual of the community

EXAMPLE

The invention may further use a protocol that is an anti “spoofing”system for Intelligent RFID Tags that prevents malicious attacks frominterfering with the normal operation of the invention. The protocolmakes use of an on-board circuit to generate a universally uniqueidentification code based on the collected history, geography, andcondition of the device. This code becomes part of the distributedintelligence provided by the inventive solution.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive systemprovides a removable, but secure platform for intermodal assets. Themodular nature combines tracking, sensing, and security in aninterchangeable/mix-and-match building block architecture in whichparticular users may select the sensor package of interest, theidentification and reporting protocols to be used, and the communicationmethods that are most suitable to the user and asset being shipped.

The inventive system is contemplated to be used within a globalintermodal transportation management system consisting of facilities forthe capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and action (alerts, alarms,etc.) of geographic location and condition information in aweb-ready/web-friendly data visualization and reporting application. Assuch, it forms a fully enabled Geographic Information System (GIS) withcustomized industry specific applications build around the GIScore/platform. A web-based tracking service may provide real-time accessto asset location and condition, automated customized alerts, andcontent for client needs accessible from any internet-enabled terminalglobally. Logistics information can be pulled or pushed directly fromthe site into the user's internal resource management system. Theinventive system may be further enhanced with custom, value-added clientservices to augment the functionality of the basic tracking system.

The general characteristics of the inventive method as applied to marinetransportation is illustrated schematically in FIG. 4.

EXAMPLE

Some aspects of the communication links that may be employed in theinventive method are shown schematically in FIG. 4. A container ship 41carries a plurality of containers, at least one of which is fitted withthe inventive Access Bar 10. Local communication 42 may be establishedwith a transceiver on board ship 41. Satellite communications 43 carrydata between ship 41 and the system administrator 44. The systemadministrator may in turn forward selected data reports to one or moreclients indicated generally at 45. The clients 45 may include theshipper or owner of the cargo; the shipping line or ship owner; andvarious government agencies.

The inventive system is designed to address the following criticalattributes of a global asset tracking and control solution in thefollowing ways:

The system includes the following components: 1. Rigid ISO compliantcontainer locking devices—a physical locking system using the inherentcharacteristics of the container to protect the container fromviolation. 2. Robust active RFID technology—assets must be visible underextremely harsh wireless multipath interference conditions (e.g. localarea networking of container-based and sub-container assets in stacks ina port, on a ship's deck, in the hold of a ship, and in warehouses). 3.Satellite and/or cellular communications—the ability to utilize widearea communication networks in remote areas to validate security andfulfill logistics optimization operational needs. 4. Smart Sensornetworks—“plug and play” smart sensors with a universal addressingscheme to determine the integrity and condition of containers and cargo.5. Intelligent information systems—capable of analyzing geostatisticaland geospatial information and patterns (e.g. Geographic InformationSystems) to create Strategic Asset Intelligence. 6. Advanced batterytechnology—battery life exceeding three years.

The preferred capabilities of the inventive system include thefollowing: 1. Secure wireless communications system—the informationtransmitted via wireless and wired networks must be protected to preventeavesdropping (e.g. physical layer security, data scrambling,encryption, authentication, etc.). 2. Real-time location—GPS, advancedtelevision signal processing, dead reckoning, or other location basedtechnologies providing the ability to pinpoint assets in real-time underharsh multipath conditions represents a substantial increase inefficiency for port, ship, and warehouse management justifying rapidreturn on investment. 3. Intelligence fusion—a Common OperationalPicture (COP) with real-time alert capability. 4. Networksecurity—multi-layer security scheme for asset tracking and analysis. 5.Multi-user access scheme—wireless devices must have the ability tocommunicate simultaneously with large numbers of tags per reader (>5000)in a given area to accommodate the numbers of containers in closeproximity in modern shipping terminals. 6. Globally available unlicensedradio frequency—need for a single unlicensed RF band to insureinteroperability in local area networking and RFID applications orfrequency and protocol agile RFID systems.

It will be appreciated that the system relies on wireless communicationsin various ways. There are three basic approaches to robust wirelessRFID communications under harsh multipath environments, viz.,Peer-to-peer (mesh networking) solutions, Ultra Wideband solutions; and,Hybridized Spread Spectrum solutions. Applicants prefer the HybridizedSpread Spectrum (HSS) solution because it best stands to holisticallyaddress the performance specifications of a global asset tracking andcontrol system: The HSS approach allows for a narrow-spectrum, broadband solution to be engineered to, e.g., a 2.45 GHz frequency (high datarates and higher resistance to environmental conditions), which is theonly emerging globally available unlicensed band at the moment providingfor robust wireless communications under harsh multipath interferenceconditions, the traditional barrier to wireless communications. Thestate-of-the-art in HSS technology constitutes a superior anti-collisionwireless communications solution based on the utilization of timesequencing (increased volume for multi-user access), fast frequencyhopping (superior resistance to multipath interference), and directsequence spread spectrum (superior resistance to interference from andtwo other RF applications in the same geographic area) protocolscombined in a unique way and incorporating advanced signal processingconcepts.

In essence, the HSS system is able to distinguish the original signalfrom short-range multipath reflections. The statistical probability ofsuccessful communication on the first attempt is 99.99 percent at thebit level with the HSS approach. This network reliability level reducesthe need for redundant transmission thereby increasing battery life overcurrently available commercial technologies. Based on the narrow bandsolution that is virtually immune to multipath interference, the systemwill support radiolocation (1 meter 3 dimensional accuracy in real-time)to be performed on individual tags in the standard stacking conditionsof shipping containers in a port, on a ship, in the hold of a ship, andin warehouses. The HSS solution can create a geo-optimized meshnetworking capability intelligently switching modes depending on thenature of the environment based on the radiolocation and transceiverarchitecture (each tag is a reader and a transmitter). The timesequencing aspects of the HSS solution has the potential to supporttwo-way communication with up to 10,000 individual tags per Reader unitin every 100-second window, which is critical in the maritime ship andport environment. The end result is a robust multi-user active RFIDwireless tracking and communication solution with inherent security atthe physical layer (based on the way the waveform is generated) uponwhich encryption, data scrambling, and authentication security can belayered. For these reasons, the HSS approach appears to be the mostlogical and tenable solution to a globally deployed RFID total assetvisibility solution.

In studies conducted in February, 2004, the HSS solution was firstdemonstrated at the Port of Charleston, Wando Terminal at the APMTerminals North American facility and again in June of 2004 for theDepartment of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advanced ResearchProjects Agency. The HSS technology proved the ability to communicatefrom with a standard stack of refrigerated containers in real-time usinga 2.45 GHz RFID solution with near-perfect accuracy. Additional testingwas completed in August of 2004 demonstrating the ability to communicateunder standard stacking conditions (10 long×3 high) of “dry box”shipping containers.

The inventive system provides real-time asset tracking for bothcommercial intermodal asset management and homeland security needs: 1.Real-time, global ship location tracking with detailed history ofpassage to provide a comprehensive “view” of all maritime shippingvessels. 2. Remote aggregation and uplink point for depots, terminals,yards, etc., which is a combination of a remote satellite uplink and aserial mesh radio. 3. Track container location and condition withtampering notification and internal environmental, biological, chemical,and radiation status. 4. Early warning/threat identification of shipsand containers arrival in US waters and ports with an audit trail. 5.Detect and monitor suspicious shipping activities (unscheduled portcalls, etc.). 6. Secure data feed to clients and stakeholders on aneed-to-know basis. 7. Identify long-term patterns of activity at bothcontainer and cargo level. 8. Foster “low risk,” fast-track passageprotocols through ports, canals, and inspection points. 9. Intermodalinventory management, combining tracking by ship, rail, and truck linesfor order management, space allocation, scheduling, load balancing,supply chain management, harbor management, and port/containermanagement.

Satellite and cellular networks provide the Wide Area Network (WAN)ability to track and monitor assets globally in real-time with theability to concentrate all the information effectively in one location.This provides advantages for security, fault-tolerance, databack-up/archiving, and database maintenance. A central networkoperations center will integrate a variety of information sources withthe transmitted inventive access bar status, location, and condition tosupport client date needs, advanced value-added commercial logistics,and risk and threat analysis. Both are combined with commerciallyavailable technologies in GIS, GPS, real-time alert systems, highperformance cluster computing (HPCC), and the Internet in open systemsarchitecture to create a real-time tracking and asset management system.The center provides one single location for real-time logistical supportfor the global management of mobile assets. The inventive system mayfurther include a web-based tracking system that allows individuals ororganizations to manage assets in real-time via the Internet with strictinformation protection protocols. The information will be distributed torelevant parties through secure transactions on a need-to-know basisthus precluding the use of the system to target assets for theft.

As noted earlier, the Access Bar is small and of generally higher valuethan an empty shipping container. It is therefore likely that in someapplications, it will be desirable to return a number of Access Bars totheir original point of origin without necessarily returning the emptycontainers. It will be appreciated that a metal rack may be constructedthat fits into a standard container and has a number of parallel barsspaced comparably to the spacing of the bars on a container door (see,e.g., FIG. 1). A large number of Access Bars may be secured onto therack and programmed so that they cannot be removed from the rack untilthey have reached the desired location. The rack in turn holds theAccess Bars more securely during transit than if they were simplystacked in an empty container for the voyage.

It will further be appreciated that the invention may usefully beemployed in logistical settings other than maritime transportation. Suchother settings may include: over-the-road trailers, freight trains,enclosed conveyances of all types, as well as other sizes andconstructions of containers used in a variety of industries. Thus, theinvention is not limited to use on “standard” maritime shippingcontainers but may be easily adapted to other sizes and geometries.

1. A security system for freight containers comprising: a substantiallyrigid housing; a locking device configured to reliably attach to afreight container and prevent unauthorized opening of said container; apower supply; a sensing device configured to sense at least onecondition affecting said container; a communication system configured totransmit the output of said sensing device to an external receiver; and,a system monitor located remotely from said container, said systemmonitor configured to receive said output from said sensing device atselected times and provide said output to selected users.
 2. The systemof claim 1 wherein said substantially rigid housing is constructed froma material selected from the group consisting of: metals and alloys;metal-matrix composites; ceramic-matrix composites; and polymer-matrixcomposites.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of saidhousing is configured to allow RF communications to pass into and out ofsaid housing.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein said locking devicecomprises a latching bar of sufficient size to engage both doors of aselected shipping container.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein saidsensing device is selected from the group consisting of: globalpositioning system receivers; thermal sensors; chemical sensors;radiation sensors; humidity sensors; air pressure sensors; load cells;accelerometers; tip and tilt sensors; shock sensors; tamper switches;and RFID sensing devices.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein saidcommunication system is configured to communicate wirelessly using acommunication mode selected from the following group: serial mesh radio;quadband GSM cellular; and LEO Satellite.
 7. The system of claim 1wherein said system monitor further includes a secure, web-basedtracking system configured to allow selected users to manage assets inreal-time via the Internet.
 8. A security system for freight containerscomprising: a locking device configured to reliably attach to a freightcontainer and prevent unauthorized opening of the container doors; apower supply; a sensing device including a two-way communication system,said sensing device further including a GPS receiver; and, a systemmonitor located remotely from said container, said system monitorconfigured to receive data from said sensing device at selected timesand to communicate with said sensing device at selected times.
 9. Thesystem of claim 8 wherein said locking device is protected by asubstantially rigid housing, wherein at least a portion of said housingis configured to allow RF communications to pass into and out of saidhousing.
 10. The system of claim 8 wherein said locking device comprisesa latching bar of sufficient size to engage both doors of a selectedshipping container.
 11. The system of claim 8 wherein said lockingdevice comprises a ring configured to engage the lid on a cylindricalshipping container to prevent unauthorized opening of said cylindricalcontainer.
 12. The system of claim 8 wherein said sensing device isselected from the group consisting of: thermal sensors; chemicalsensors; radiation sensors; humidity sensors; air pressure sensors; loadcells; accelerometers; tip and tilt sensors; shock sensors; tamperswitches; and RFID sensing devices.
 13. The system of claim 8 whereinsaid communication system is configured to communicate wirelessly usinga communication mode selected from the following group: serial meshradio; quadband GSM cellular; and LEO Satellite.
 14. The system of claim8 wherein said system monitor further includes a secure, web-basedtracking system configured to allow selected users to manage assets inreal-time via the Internet.
 15. The system of claim 8 further includingan input/output device selected from the following group: keypads; USBports; and wireless data links.
 16. A security system for freightcontainers comprising: a locking device configured to reliably attach toa freight container and prevent unauthorized opening of the containerdoors; a power supply; a sensing device configured to sense at least onecondition affecting said container; a communication system configured totransmit the output of said sensing device to a system monitor locatedremotely from said container; a visual display device on the outside ofsaid container, said display device capable of displaying selectedinformation; and, a system monitor configured to receive selected datafrom said sensing device and to transmit selected messages to saidvisual display device.
 17. The system of claim 16 wherein said visualdisplay device is configured to display information selected from thefollowing group: time; date; system status; alarm conditions; andmessages from said system monitor.